Oldham Netball Club have been crowned champions of Premier League 1 whilst Charnwood have won Premier League 2, gaining promotion to the top division with Leeds Athletic.
Premier League Netball returned in September 2021 after more than a year away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After 18 rounds in Premier Leagues 1 and 2, we can now reveal who has topped the standings and who will be moving up and down the divisions for the 2022/23 season.
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Premier League 1
In the highest division in the Premier League pyramid, Oldham Netball Club retained their 2019/20 title, winning their final game at home to YWCA Bury (61-46) to finish the year on 79 points, losing just three games all season.
The Lancashire side, led by Manchester Thunder Managing Director Debbie Hallas, features some of England’s up-and-coming prospects including Ruby Parker and Yomi Eza-Wilson, who are both part of Thunder’s Vitality Netball Superleague roster, and are learning from the likes of Kerry Almond who captains the side.
🏆🎉🏆🎉🏆🎉🏆🎉🏆🎉🏆🎉🏆@EnglandNetball Prem 1
⭐️CHAMPIONS⭐️
We are so very proud of you girls 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️💙#SmashedIt #oncgirls #youngguns pic.twitter.com/I6mBA8pgOD
— Oldham Netball Club (@OldhamNetball) March 20, 2022
After a tremendous season, Academy finished in second, finishing just six points behind the leaders meanwhile Turnford ended their campaign on a high, winning their final game against Hucclecote to claim third.
At the other end of the table, Linden and Grangetown finished ninth and tenth respectively and have been relegated to Premier League 2.
Weston Park Blades, currently in fourth, will face Hucclecote, who sit in seventh, for the final game of the season to decide the placings in the middle of the table.
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Premier League 2
It was a tense final weekend for many at the summit of Premier League 2, with just two points separating the top three teams – Charnwood, Leeds Athletic and Cumberland. But it was history that was made in the East Midlands as Charnwood became the first side from the region to win the second division, earning promotion and the title with a game to a spare, after a 46-36 victory over The Downs.
Roses Academy athlete Emma Thacker, who also represents Loughborough Lightning in the Vitality Netball Superleague, was amongst the squad who celebrated their inaugural Premier League 2 win.
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In the race for second, Leeds held onto the final automatic promotion spot, clinching a 54-41 win over Team Bath Toucans to fend off the challenge from Cumberland who also won a tight game on the final day to finish just a point behind.
Meanwhile at the bottom, Thoroughbreds will be joined by Ryland in Premier League 3 next year despite both teams ending their seasons on a high with respective home wins.
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Premier League 3
There are still a few games left to be played in the third division. As things stand, Exeter are top of the table, 14 points ahead of Sussex Thunder who have three games in hand.
Just behind Thunder, Premier Romans and Norfolk United are chasing down an automatic promotion place and are just a couple of points in reach of second place.
Essex Open and Eclipse will be involved in the Premier League Play-Offs, where the nine regional league winners will compete with the bottom three sides from Premier League 3 to decide who will compete in third division in 2022/23.
A further update on the outcome of Premier League 3 will be shared once the season comes to a close.
